


A Little Bit Closer

by ChibiRHM



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Five Times, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-30
Updated: 2013-03-30
Packaged: 2017-12-06 23:50:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/741621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChibiRHM/pseuds/ChibiRHM
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five times Alex and Brendan shared a bed/slept together, written for the Hockey Hipster Ships Ficathon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Little Bit Closer

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted [here](http://daisysusan.livejournal.com/243396.html?thread=1196740#t1196740) on the Hockey Hipster Ships Ficathon, unbeta'd, and crossposted for posterity becuase I _can_ write other ships and characters! Sometimes. Sort of. The title comes from Closer by Tegan and Sara, which I listened to on constant repeat while writing this.

**One**  
It starts when Brendan insists on sitting next to Alex once the season starts up and they're the only rookies. He clings to Alex, and Alex could tell him to stop, but he'd have to care enough to do that. Instead he just silently lets Brendan do whatever he wants.

One of the things he wants, apparently, is to fall asleep on Alex's shoulder during long bus rides, mouth hanging open and neck lolling. It's - whatever. Alex refrains from dropping food in Brendan's open mouth just to see what would happen because he'd be in a lot of trouble if Brendan choked and died.

**Two**  
Alex would never tell Nail that Brendan is a way better roommate than he ever was, but Brendan is a way better roommate than Nail. He understands that there's a time and a place to make noise and doesn't talk in his sleep like Nail does - did. He's pretty respectful of Alex's space, too, except that one time they're watching a movie together on Brendan's iPad and Brendan totally conks out before _The Avengers_ is over.

"Noooo," Brendan moans when Alex tries to move him back to his own bed so he can fit in a nap, too.

"I don't cuddle," Alex warns, and Brendan giggles sleepily.

"No cuddling," he agrees.

Unlike Nail that one time he and Alex shared a bed on New Year's, Brendan keeps his word. There's no cuddling.

**Three**  
They sometimes nap in the same bed after that, never really with any rhyme or reason, just because the road is lonely and they're far away from home, and because Brendan knows how to keep his arms and legs to himself. Alex acts put-upon and pretends to hate it, but it's not really so bad. It's sort of like napping with his dog back home, he guesses. He and Brendan have the same messy curls and sweet, sleepy eyes.

**Four**  
"How come we have sleepovers but never play Truth or Dare?" Brendan asks, and Alex props himself up on his elbow with a groan.

"This isn't a sleepover," he says. "This is you inviting yourself into my bed."

"Because I like you," Brendan says, like it's a huge confession, like he doesn't like everyone.

Brendan's cheeks are pink, from either sleep or being cocooned under the duvet, and his eyelashes are long, like a girl's. Alex really does like him, is the thing. He doesn't like many people the way he likes Brendan, the way where he lets them see him vulnerable or off-guard. Brendan licks his lips and Alex thinks, right, he's can do this. He ducks his head to brush their lips together gently, like it's his first kiss all over again. He has to clutch the sheets because his palms are sweating. Brendan's lips taste like his dumb blue bubblegum toothpaste and he smiles when he kisses, because of course he does. It's kind of wonderful.

"I, um," he pulls away and coughs. "I don't hate you either."

Brendan dissolves into helpless giggles. "No shit, really? God, Alex, you're just -"

Brendan also giggles when he kisses, and it feels like drinking something where the fizzy feeling goes all the way down to Alex's toes.

**Five**  
Alex has resigned himself to being the little spoon forever, because Brendan really is a cuddler, and now that he thinks he can, he clings like a limpet to Alex's back. His arms are huge, and sometimes Alex wakes up and feels like a car that's been dented by a tree branch after a storm, but that's just when he's feeling cranky in the morning. Mostly, he likes the feeling of being anchored, settled, even if he'll never tell Brendan because it's more fun to complain to him. But sometimes he doesn't complain at all. sometimes he just turns over and tugs Brenden on top of him like a blanket. "You faker," Brendan says with a grin, "you love to cuddle."

"I don't hate it," Alex allows, which Brendan accepts with a ducked head and a kiss, because he knows by now that means yes.


End file.
